Week Ending June 23, 2013. Songs: Miley’s Comeback Hit

Chart Watch

Paul GreinJune 26, 2013

Miley Cyrus’ comeback hit “We Can’t Stop” vaults from #27 to #5 in its third week on the Hot 100, following the video’s premiere on June 19. It’s already Cyrus’ third biggest hit, trailing only her 2009 hits “Party In The U.S.A.” (#2) and “The Climb” (#4). Is it appropriate to use the term “comeback hit” when an artist is just 20? In this case, I think so. I don’t think too many people thought Cyrus would have another hit of this magnitude. It underscores how vital it is for artists to believe in themselves in the inevitable down years when the industry thinks they’ve run their course.

This is Cyrus’ first Hot 100 hit as a lead artist since “Can’t Be Tamed,” which reached #8 in June 2010. That song was an attempt at an image change. It didn’t really work. Maybe it was too soon. Artists have to lay low for awhile before they can come back.

As you probably know by now, “We Can’t Stop” set a new record for the most times a video was viewed on VEVO in one day, edging out “Beauty And A Beat” by Justin Bieber featuring Nicki Minaj. Cyrus’ video was viewed 10.7 million times the day following its premiere, beating Bieber's record of 10.6 million.

Cyrus is one of two second-generation stars with hits in this week’s top 10. Cyrus is the daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus, whose “Achy Breaky Heart” reached #4 in July 1992. Robin Thicke is the son of Gloria Loring, whose “Friends And Lovers” (a collabo with Carl Anderson) reached #2 in September 1986.

Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” (featuring T.I. and Pharrell) holds at #1 for the third week. It holds at #1 on Hot Digital Songs for the fourth week (424K). That’s the biggest one-week sales tally for any song since the week ending Dec. 30 (when sales traditionally swell). That week, Taylor Swift’s “I Knew You Were Trouble.” sold 582K copies and Bruno Mars’ “Locked Out Of Heaven” sold 497K copies. “Blurred Lines” is also #1 for the third week on Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and for the fourth week on The Official U.K. Singles chart.

“Get Lucky” by Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams holds at #2 for the second week. It’s #1 on Dance/Electronic Songs for the sixth week.

Two of the biggest sleeper hits of recent years, Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive” and “Cruise” by Florida Georgia Line featuring Nelly, both reach new peaks this week. “Radioactive” jumps from #4 to #3 in its 43rd week. “Cruise” jumps from #6 to #4 in its 38th week. Both songs are now mainstream pop and adult smashes, having started out at rock and country radio, respectively. “Radioactive” tops Hot Rock Songs for the 14th week. “Cruise” tops Hot Country Songs for the 17th week.

Both songs posted their second-greatest weekly sales tallies to date. “Cruise” is in its third week at #2 on Hot Digital Songs.

“Radioactive” has sold 3,598,000 copies. It’s #19 on Nielsen SoundScan’s running list of the best-selling rock songs in digital history. “Cruise” has sold 4,544,000 copies. It’s #4 on the site’s running list of the best-selling country songs in digital history.

“Cruise” is the first song to spend 17 or more weeks at #1 on Hot Country Songs since Leroy Van Dyke’s “Walk On By” spent 19 weeks on top in 1961-1962. (That’s not the subsequent Burt Bacharach/Hal David song.). It’s the first song by an ongoing duo to log 17 weeks on top since “Slipping Around” by Margaret Whiting & Jimmy Wakely in 1949-1950.

“Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Ray Dalton drops from #3 to #6. The song tops the 3 million mark this week. It’s the duo’s second 3 million-seller. Only one other duo, LMFAO, has had two 3-million-sellers.

Moreover, “Can’t Hold Us” is the 200th song to sell 3 million copies in the digital era. The first was “Crank That (Soulja Boy)” by Soulja Boy Tell Em, which reached the 3 million mark in January 2008. (That was just a few months after I started writing Chart Watch, but I won’t take all the credit.)

Who has had the most 3-million digital sellers? Rihanna leads with 11, followed by Bruno Mars, Fergie and will.i.am, with nine each, and Lil Wayne, Katy Perry and Kanye West, with eight each. (The totals for Fergie and will.i.am include six Black Eyed Peas hits.)

Bruno Mars’ “Treasure” jumps from #11 to #8 following his performance of the upbeat confection on The Voice. It’s his 11th top 10 hit in just 3-1/2 years. It’s his third top 10 hit from his sophomore album, Unorthodox Jukebox, which matches the number he pulled from his debut album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans. Mars also had a top 10 hit from The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1, and was featured on top 10 hits by B.o.B, Travie McCoy, Bad Meets Evil and Snoop Dogg & Wiz Khalifa.

You don’t hit as big as Mars has without filling a void. Mars provides heart and humanity in an era dominated by harder-edged hits. Mars has appeared on the covers of Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly this year. (In fact, he’s the only music artist to make the cover of EW so far in 2013.)

Here's the low-down on this week's top 10 songs.

The Top Five: “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke featuring T.I. and Pharrell holds at #1 for the third week in its 10th week on the chart. This is its fourth week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #1 (424K)…“Get Lucky” by Daft Punk featuring Pharrell Williams holds at #2 for the second week in its 10th week on the chart. This is its sixth week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #4 (205K)… Imagine Dragons’ “Radioactive” jumps from #4 to #3 in its 43rd week on the chart. This is its 10th week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #3 (231K)…“Cruise” by Florida Georgia Line featuring Nelly jumps from #6 to #4 in its 38th week on the chart. This is its ninth week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #2 (244K)… Miley Cyrus’ “We Can’t Stop” vaults from #27 to #5 in third in its third week on the chart. It’s Cyrus’ seventh top 10 hit. Digital sales rank: #6 (161K).

The Second Five: “Can’t Hold Us” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Ray Dalton drops from #3 to #6 in its 20th week on the chart. This is its 12th week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #7 (151K)… Justin Timberlake’s “Mirrors” drops from #5 to #7 in its 19th week on the chart. This is its 11th week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #15 (101K)…Bruno Mars’ “Treasure” jumps from #11 to #8 in its sixth week on the chart. This is his 11th top 10 hit. Digital sales rank: #5 (185K)…Selena Gomez’s “Come & Get It” dips from #8 to #9 in its 11th week on the chart. This is its seventh week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #10 (113K)…“Just Give Me A Reason” by P!nk featuring Nate Ruess drops from #7 to #10 in its 19th week on the chart. This is its 15th week in the top 10. Digital sales rank: #14 (102K).

Two songs drop out of the top 10 this week. “The Way” by Ariana Grande featuring Mac Miller drops from #9 to #11. “I Love It” by Icona Pop featuring Charli XCX drops from #10 to #12.

Fall Out Boy’s “My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark” holds at #13 for the second week in its 20th week. Digital sales rank: #8 (115K)… “Clarity” by Zedd featuring Foxes holds at #14 for the second week in its 14th week…“Boys ’Round Here” by Blake Shelton featuring Pistol Annies & Friends drops from #12 to #15 in its 13th week. Digital sales rank: #9 (115K).

“Same Love” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis featuring Mary Lambert jumps from #33 to #28 in its 15th week—on the very day the Supreme Court released two historic decisions that advanced gay rights. Macklemore & Ryan Lewis have two other songs in this week’s top 30. “Can’t Hold Us” (featuring Ray Dalton) drops from #3 to #6. “Thrift Shop” (featuring Wanz) drops from #19 to #21.

OneRepublic’s “Counting Stars” is the week’s top new entry at #32. The group performed the song on the finale of The Voice. It’s vying to become the group’s third top 10 hit. Timbaland’s “Apologize” hit #2 in November 2007. “Good Life” hit #9 in July 2011. “Counting Stars” is from the group’s third studio album, Native, which debuted and peaked at #4 in March.

Phillip Phillips lands his second top 40 hit as “Gone, Gone, Gone” jumps from #43 to #36 in its 16th week. “Home” peaked at #6, en route to becoming the best-selling song by an American Idol contestant in the show’s history…“No New Friends” by DJ Khaled featuring Drake, Rick Ross & Lil Wayne jumps from #45 to #37 in its ninth week…Capital Cities’ “Safe And Sound” jumps from #56 to #43 in its eighth week.

Three songs from Kanye West’s new album Yeezus enter the chart. “New Slaves” is the week’s second highest new entry at #56. “Black Skinhead” is the week’s third highest new entry at #69. “Blood On The Leaves” debuts at #91. Yeezus enters The Billboard 200 this week with first-week sales of 327K. It’s West’s first album to debut with first-week sales below 400K.

Tyler Farr’s “Redneck Crazy” jumps from #77 to #63 in its fourth week…“Crooked Smile” by J. Cole featuring TLC debuts at #74. This marks TLC’s first chart appearance since 2003. The famed trio had nine top 10 hits from 1992 to 1999. The song is from J. Cole’s sophomore album, Born Sinner, which enters The Billboard 200 at #2 this week with sales of 297K (just 30K behind West).

Danielle Bradbery’s version of Sara Evans’ “Born To Fly” debuts at #75. Bradbery’s version of Pam Tillis’ “Maybe It Was Memphis” re-enters the chart at #93. Bradbery was the Season 4 winner on The Voice. Several other songs by Voice contestants debut: Runner-up Michelle Chamuel’s version of Annie Lennox’s “Why” debuts at #92, a version of U2’s “One” by Usher and Chamueldebuts at #98 and third-place finishers The Swon Brothers’ version of Eagles’ “I Can’t Tell You Why” debuts at #99.

Florida Georgia Line’s new “Round Here” jumps from #89 to #76 in its second week.

John Mayer’s “Paper Doll” debuts at #77. It’s from Mayer’s sixth studio album, Paradise Valley, which is due Aug. 13. The song is purportedly about Mayer’s one-time flame, Taylor Swift. (Turnabout is fair play: Taylor included “Dear John” on her Speak Now album in 2010.) Mayer’s song shares a title with one of the biggest hits of the 1940s. The Mills Brothers’ “Paper Doll” logged 12 weeks at #1 in 1943.

Britney Spears’ “Ooh La La” debuts at #85. It’s from Smurfs 2. It’s vying to become Spears’ 13th top 10 hit as a lead or co-lead artist. Spears has piled up all but five of those hits in the last five years, an impressive showing for a veteran artist.

“Right Now” by Rihanna featuring David Guetta debuts at #90. It’s the fourth single from Unapologetic. (Three other songs from the album have also hit the chart.)…French Montana’s “Ain’t Worried About Nothin” debuts at #97. It’s from his debut album, Excuse My French, which debuted and peaked at #4 on The Billboard 200 last month…Sara Bareilles’ “Brave” re-enters the chart at #100. The song has reached #61.

Coldplay’s 2008 smash “Viva La Vida” tops the 6 million mark in digital sales this week. It’s the 21st song to reach that plateau. The superb song hit #1 in June 2008 and won a Grammy as Song of the Year. (It shoulda won Record of the Year, too.)

To My Readers: Cher’s “Woman’s World” didn’t make it this week. It sold 26K digital copies to enter Hot Digital Songs at #79. I thought that might be enough to do it. Alas, no.